My dad used to ask me, “What if The Broke Agent fails?”
Now it’s, “Do you have a backup plan for BAM?”
For the record, I don’t, because BAM is inevitable.
And also for the record, my dad has always been supportive of my entrepreneurial pursuits. But they’re fair questions.
At this point, I think I finally have an answer: I’d go back to selling real estate, and I would do it by building a huge, hyper-local brand on Instagram. Because that’s what I think about, talk about, and post about all day. And let’s be honest, I don’t think I’m making a Major League Baseball roster anytime soon.
Which brings me to the point of this blog:
What would I do if I had to start my Instagram from scratch as a real estate agent?
And what should a new agent, or an agent looking to revamp their content strategy, actually do right now?
Well, here’s exactly what I would do.
First, I would scroll and follow.
I’d follow a bunch of real estate agents in my market (and outside of it) and take notes on the content I like and the content I don’t like. I’d pay attention to how often they post, what gets the most engagement, and then replicate the stuff that works while ignoring what doesn’t.
I’d also follow a bunch of local accounts that share news and community updates.
For example, if I were in Tucson, Arizona (where I was born and raised), I’d follow local Tucson news pages, influencers, businesses, and restaurants so I’d always be up to date on what’s happening. This would help me plan and prepare content that feels timely and local.
Second, I would write down what I want my Instagram to be about.
I’d make a list of my personal hobbies and the type of brand I want to portray.
Let’s use me as an example:
I love sports. I play golf, I’m a fan of the Arizona Wildcats, I love Mexican food, I like comedy and telling jokes, I’m married, I have a Goldendoodle, and I was born and raised in Tucson.
I would be consciously thinking about these things, and I would build content around them. Remember, people want to work with you, not just your business, so you have to show them who you are.
This means I’d post hyper-local content about Tucson golf courses. I’d give updates on Arizona basketball, share what I do before and after games, post about dog parks and dog-friendly places, and show where my wife and I like to eat. I would also be purposefully witty or funny in my captions to show my edge and separate myself from the other agents in my area.
Remember: Your hobbies, interests, and personality should shape your content. When you create content about things you actually care about, people can tell, and it performs better.
Third, I would create content about the areas I WANT to work in.
Seems obvious, but most agents don’t do this well. Instead of covering all things Tucson, I’d focus on the specific neighborhoods or areas where I want to build my business.
Shannon Mangin said it best on The Walk Thru: she dominates certain parts of Austin because she goes deep on them instead of trying to cover the entire city.
If I were actively selling real estate, I’d reverse-engineer where my clients want to live and create content around those areas.
Fourth, I would make an introduction post and pin it to my profile.
This post would cover:
- Who I am
- Why I became a real estate agent
- How long I’ve been in business
- Where I work (specific areas)
- A little bit about me personally
I’d also make sure my bio was completely optimized and communicated exactly what people will get from following my account. It would include something like, “Born and raised in the desert” or a tagline that captures my story.
Here is a great example of Theoni Rapo, aka NOT UR DADDY’S LENDER, who we just had on this week’s Walk Thru:
Fifth, I would join a community like BAMx.
I’d want nonstop content ideas, consulting, and a community to stay consistent. I’d stay updated on algorithm changes and get access to ready-to-use social templates and video scripts.
Most importantly, I wouldn’t want to do content creation alone. Because doing this solo… sucks.
I would sign up today for their seven-day free trial. (see what I’m doing here?)
Sixth, I would write myself a content prescription and stick to it.
I’d create a realistic plan for how often I want to post.
For example, instead of saying, “I’ll post four times a day,” I’d say, “I’ll post 3 to 5 times per week and share at least one Story every day.” That’s sustainable and won’t feel overwhelming.
I’d follow this plan for one full quarter, track my results, and then adjust. Without a plan, content will always feel random and chaotic.
Now that I’ve written this, I’d like to rescind my earlier statement. I don’t want to go back to selling real estate. I still want to play for the Yankees.
